Basin

Title: Basin

Type: Vessel

Associated Religious Tradition: Islam

Origins

• Geography: Probably Damascus, Syria
• Date: 1240s
• Period: Ayyubid period

Physical Properties

• Material: Brass, inlaid with silver
• Dimensions: H × W × D: 22.5 × 50 × 50 cm (8 7/8 × 19 11/16 × 19 11/16 in)

Crediting Information

• Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
• Credit Line: Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment
• Accession Number: F1955.10

Decorated with Christian imagery, Arabic inscriptions, and vegetal and geometric designs, this inlaid brass basin is a testament to the diverse communities and traditions that existed in Syria and other regions of the Islamic world for millennia. The remarkable object was made during the rule of the Ayyubid dynasty (founded by Salah al-Din, known in the West as Saladin), which controlled Egypt and Syria from 1171 to 1260. It was during the Ayyubid period that rivalry between Islam and Christianity intensified as successive Crusader armies arrived from Europe to “liberate” Jerusalem. Religious conflicts, however, were not the only encounter between adherents of the two religious traditions. Military confrontations alternated with periods of reconciliation when Muslims and Christians formed alliances; they lived and worked in some of the same cities and communities, sharing and learning from each other.

Prior to the Crusader wars, Syria was already home to large Christian as well as Jewish communities, who had lived there for centuries. These communities continued to grow and prosper after the arrival of Islam in the seventh century and significantly contributed to a dynamic multicultural and multireligious society until recently. The Christian Arabs in Syria followed their own religious traditions but shared many cultural and social values and beliefs with Muslims and other local groups. Religious and civil architecture, as well as manuscripts and objects, such as this basin, drew on both Christian and Islamic motifs, attesting to the collaboration of skilled artists and craftsmen to create them and the demand for such works. The basin may have been originally paired with an ewer, and the set would have been used for washing.

The large, imposing basin was created in the 1240s during the reign of Sultan al-Malik as-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub (1240–49), one of the rulers of the Ayyubid dynasty. His name appears in one of the inscriptions, but it is not clear if the basin was made for the ruler or at his request. The body of the vessel is brass, and the designs are inlaid with small pieces of silver, a technique that flourished in the medieval Islamic world and was perfected in Syria and IraqClose TooltipIraq[E-rAq]a country in the Middle East. in the mid-thirteenth century. Once the artist cut his design into the metal, he would fill it with strips of silver. As he did not use any glue, some of the silver tended to fall out after repeated use, as is evident from this basin.

A lively polo game, a pastime closely associated with medieval court culture, wraps around the middle of the basin on the exterior. Above it, an inscription in Arabic script with intricately knotted letters praises the reigning Ayyubid sultan. Five lobed medallions interrupt the inscription and depict the following Christian scenes: an Enthroned Virgin and Child; the Annunciation; Christ Holding a Bowl with Two Figures; Entry into Jerusalem; and the Raising of Lazarus. On the interior, another inscription band, which also praises the ruler, appears just below the rim. Thirty-nine saintly figures stand in niches in a central band.

It is unclear who originally owned the basin, but in the eighteenth century, it entered the collection of a noble family in France. As a sign of their ownership and appreciation for the basin, the family added its elaborate coat of arms to the base.

The basin illustrates the multireligious and multicultural society that existed in Syria and other parts of the Islamic world during the medieval period. The artist of the basin either worked closely with a Christian, who was familiar with biblical imagery, or he had access to Christian visual sources. Such collaborations also took place in other regions; for example, in Islamic Spain, Muslims and Christians collaborated on the advancement of mathematics, medicine, and science. The founder of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed II (reigned 1451–81, 1444–46), who conquered Constantinople and later renamed it Istanbul, invited Italian artists to his court, and Istanbul boasted its own Venetian and Genovese neighborhood. Not surprisingly, however, differences between some of the ethnic and religious communities flared up on occasion and led to conflict.

Although Muslims, Christians, and Jews continue to engage in interfaith and cultural dialogues, the recent political and religious turmoil in the Middle East has largely destroyed their traditional multireligious and multiethnic social fabric. Still, some cooperation continues both in the region and in the West, often in the form of joint social initiatives tackling poverty, health, and education. Both Muslims and Christians are committed to community service and acts of charity, which remains an important motivation for interfaith cooperation today.

1. What do you notice as you look closely at this object? How many different and distinct scenes, figures, and images do you notice? What do you notice about the colors? What materials were used to make this object?
2. What geographic regions, cultures, and religions are represented by the writing, scenes of various figures, and coat of arms on the base? How does the basin express unity in diversity?

1. What does the inclusion of Islamic and Christian images on one object suggest about the relationship between different religious communities in the Islamic world?
2. Can you think of a piece of music or popular art that demonstrates unity in diversity by drawing from multiple cultures and traditions?

Abu Khalaf, Marwan F. Islamic Art Through the Ages: Masterpieces of the Islamic Museum of al-Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem. Jerusalem: M.F. Abu Khalaf, 1998. Pp. 57–59.

Atil, Esin. Art of the Arab World. Freer Gallery of Art. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1975. No. 27.

Atil, Esin, W. T. Chase, and Paul Jett. Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1985. No. 18.

Farhad, Massumeh, and Sana Mirza, eds. Global Lives of Objects: Celebrating 100 years of the National Museum of Asian Art. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery; in association with D. Giles Limited. Pp. 95–101.

Sayeed, Sarah. “Catholics and Muslims in New York City and Beyond Work Together to Help the Neediest.” HuffPost. Updated December 12, 2017. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/catholics-and-muslims-work-together-for-the-poor_b_1294848